Bus Driver Sentenced in Rollover Crash
An appeals court has upheld the convictions of a bus driver in a crash that happened in Virginia that killed four passengers, injured dozens and cast national attention on low-fare carriers operating on the East Coast.
Kin Yiu Cheung dozed off as he was driving a Sky Express bus from Greensboro, N.C., to New York City just before dawn on May 30, 2011. The bus was carrying 57 passengers and it veered off Interstate 95 about 30 miles north of Richmond and overturned. The NTSB after an investigation concluded that driver fatigue had been the likely contributing factor that led to the crash. Federal investigators said that it was because Cheung had limited opportunities for quality sleep that the crash occurred.
Cheung was convicted of a total of four counts of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.
The Virginia Court of Appeals said there was ample evidence that Cheung knew he was in no condition to drive, including his heavy consumption of energy drinks and his own admission to police that he was sleepy right before the crash and that he fell asleep while driving.
The accident caught the attention of government safety officials, who in June 2012 shut own more than two dozen similar curbside bus operations for safety violations.
Injuries from bus accidents can be serious or even deadly. Even if a bus or transportation company takes every precaution so that its drivers, mechanics and employees follow all safety laws and regulations, the worst can happen.
If you or a loved one has been involved in or injured in an accident, regardless of the mode of transportation, gives us a call. It is extremely important to have good legal advice from an experienced attorney who can help you to litigate your claim. Our legal professionals have many years of practice in representing clients who have suffered injuries or even death as a result of a motor vehicle accident in the Florida courts. Call for your free initial consultation and legal analysis.